Who We Are - TAMEST

About TAMEST

TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology) was co-founded in 2004 by the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison and Nobel Laureates Michael S. Brown, M.D., and Richard E. Smalley, Ph.D. With more than 345 members, eight Nobel Laureates and 23 member institutions, TAMEST is composed of the Texas-based members of the three National Academies (National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences) and other honorific organizations. TAMEST brings together the state’s brightest minds in medicine, engineering, science and technology to foster collaboration, and to advance research, innovation and business in Texas.

TAMEST’s unique interdisciplinary model has become an effective recruitment tool for top research and development centers across Texas. Since their founding, more than 300 TAMEST members have been inducted into the National Academies or relocated to Texas.

Former TAMEST Board President Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH (NAM), speaking at the TAMEST 2020 Annual Conference: Innovating Texas—Research to Commercialization.

TAMEST Board of Directors

Brendan Lee, M.D., Ph.D., President

Professor and Chair of Molecular and Human Genetics
Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair in Molecular and Human Genetics
Baylor College of Medicine
NAM Member
2009 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Medicine

Ganesh C. Thakur, Ph.D., Vice President

Distinguished Professor of Petroleum Engineering
Director of UH Energy Industrial Partnerships
University of Houston
NAE Member

David E. Daniel, Ph.D., Past President

President Emeritus
The University of Texas at Dallas
NAE Member

Cheryl Lyn Walker, Ph.D., Treasurer

Director, Center for Precision Environmental Health
Professor, Departments of Molecular & Cell Biology and Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
NAM Member

Selda Gunsel, Ph.D., Treasurer-Elect

Chief Technology Officer
Executive Vice President Technology
NAE Member

Helen Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D., Secretary

Professor, Experimental Radiation Oncology
Division of Radiation Oncology
Senator A.M. Aikin Jr. Distinguished Chair
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
NAM, NAS Member

Bonnie Bartel, Ph.D.

Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor
Department of Biosciences
Rice University
NAS Member

Rena Bizios, Ph.D.

Lutcher Brown Endowed Distinguished University Chair Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
The University of Texas at San Antonio
NAM, NAE Member

Pallab K. Chatterjee, Ph.D.

Chairman of the Board
3Lines Venture Capital
NAE Member

Chau-Chyun Chen, Sc.D.

Jack Maddox Distinguished Engineering Chair in Sustainable Energy
Horn Distinguished Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering
Texas Tech University
NAE Member

José N. Onuchic, Ph.D.

Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Chair of Physics
Professor of Chemistry and BioSciences
Rice University
NAS Member

Kim Orth, Ph.D.

W.W. Caruth Jr. Scholar in Biomedical Research
Earl A. Forsythe Chair in Biomedical Science
Howard Hughes Medical Institute/UT Southwestern Medical Center
NAS Member
2011 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences

Roderic I. Pettigrew, Ph.D., M.D.

Vice Chancellor for Health and Strategic Initiatives
Robert A Welch Professor, School of Engineering Medicine
Texas A&M University and Houston Methodist
NAM, NAE Member

Marlan O. Scully, Ph.D.

Burgess Professor of Physics
University Distinguished Professor
Director, Institute for Quantum Science & Engineering
Texas A&M University
NAS Member

Honorary Chair

The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison

Former United States Senator, 1993-2013
Former United States Ambassador to NATO, 2017-2021

Founding Co-chair

Michael S. Brown, M.D.

UT Southwestern Medical Center
Nobel Laureate, 1985
NAM, NAS Member

Founding Co-chair – In Memoriam

Richard E. Smalley, Ph.D.

Rice University
Nobel Laureate, 1996
NAS Member

TAMEST Member Institutions

As Texas continues to attract more and more top-tier scientists and researchers, the number of TAMEST member institutions also continues to grow. TAMEST member institutions are research universities and medical centers in the state with TAMEST members or designated as Carnegie R1 Research Institutions and Carnegie Special Focus Four-Year Research Institutions. Member institutions partner with TAMEST on strategic initiatives and receive benefits in our annual meeting, mentoring programs and other initiatives.

Annual dues from these member institutions is a crucial resource for TAMEST’s mission. TAMEST recognizes the following institutions for their generous support:

Presidents and Chancellors

Member institutions are Texas universities where TAMEST Members hold positions on the faculty or administration. The presidents and chancellors of these institutions who are not National Academies members are affiliate members of TAMEST.